Etching-machine.



F. E. JOHNSTON.

ETOHING MACIHXE;

I APPLICATION rum) 813126, 1910.

Patent-ed June 13, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR P. E. JOHNS'ION ETCHING MACHINE wrmcnmx rum) SEYT. 26, mo.

Patented June 13, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR FREDERICK E. JOHNSTON, or Pnrsn'tJRG, PENNSYLVANIA- ETCHING-MACKINE- Specification of Letters liatent.

Patented June 13, 1911.

Application filed September as. 1910. S i H:- ,7

' To all whom it may concern:

' plates, by subjecting them to the action of an erodent or etching solution. an instantly checking the action of the latter upon the plate when the etching operation has been completed.

The invention includes a vertically disposed adjustable plate holder rotatably mounted within a casing, and means for rotating and stopping it as desirec. as well as means for spraying the plate separately with an erodentsolution and with water,

without removing it from the holder or alteriu; the position of the latter.

The invention also includes means for impregnating the erodent solution with air under pressure and projecting it. against the face of the plate in an evenly distributed spray, together with an improved form of inclosed etching chamber adapted to hold a supply of erodent solution, and provided with a vent to carry oil the fumes generated during the process of etching.

The invention consists of certain novel features of construction, and in the. assem; blage and combination of parts. hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated" in preferred form in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of an etching machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 a sectional plan view taken on line IL-II of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 elevations of opposite ends of the casing. Fig. 5 a face view of one form o mechanism employed to supply air under pressure to the erodent and water Sprayers. Fig. 6 a de' tail view of the adjustable plate holder, and 4 Fig. 7 a detail sectional view of the threeway cock controlling the flow of air to the erodent. and water spraying devices.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates a closed etching chamber or casing adapted to hold a supply of erodent or etching solution, I

and made from a material capable of resistring the action of the erodent. Casing 2 ,nfefglflllly provided with a cent 3, drain -1; u. and a tightly lilting removable cover the latter being further provided with a litti g panel formed of glass or 'any other it ble material to all'ord a view of the r-late during the etching operation and give 510C957; to the interior of the casing. I

Im uted within the casing is a vertically di aal rotatable plate holder 7 adapted to accommodate various sizes of plates, and which may be of any preferred construction, h for instance as that illustrated in Figs. 1. 2 and 6 comprising two parallel plate rip ing members 8 adjustably connected by a crew 9, and titted to slide in transversely di osed guide members 10, mounted. upon a head ll provided with a horizontally exg l l shaft 12. Shaft- 12 is fitted .to rotate 5 an externally threaded sleet-"e or bushing l-l, tapped into a boss 13 formed .in one wall f the casing to permit of horizogital adjustment at the plate holder within the casing.

The outer end of shaft; 12 is provided with a deep socket, angular in cross section and d ted to receive. the correspondingly shaped e id of a. horizontally disposed shaft L1 provided near its opposite end with a -li d; hle clutch 16. moved and controlled by 3 t nsversely disposed hand lever 17. Clutch 16 is adapted when in one position on sha ft 15 to lock tbe latter' firmly into en-, agmnent with the shaft of a suitable motor 13 nd when shifted out of such engaget into the opposite position to make fricti l contact with a fixed member 19, to

tiring the moving parts to a standstill ilemher 19 may be secured to any conveni tly located portion of the mechanism, such tor instanec as the casing of a blower 20 adapted to be operated by shaft 15 when the latter is in motion, to supply air under pressure to the erodent and water spraying devices, as will be presently described.

While. the mechanism justdescribed is well adapted for use in connection with my d f I do no: limit myself thereto, as any preferred form of rotatable plate holder and i compressing means may he used without departing from my invention. If desired the ly of air under pressure may be 01% mired from an outside source, in which case member 20 could be dispensed with.

Located within casing '2 in position to spray the face of a plate in holder 7 are one will open and permit the air to est-ape, and will (lose a; soon :w the pressure has been l sallieiently reduced. 7

in the supply of erodent solution. and a hori- I zontally disposed air nozzle 2 leading; 1

through the easing to-an air pressure .-:upply pipe The flow of air through the nozzles )ein; rzgulated to a nicely by valves '25.

casing in position to spray the plate in holder 7, and have their depending tube= memherz' leading into a water tank :27, lo- .eated upon the UtltHt lt ot' the easing. and

whieh may be. formed integral therewith if desired. Air is supplied to sprayers 26 through apipe 2h. rennet-ted to pipe. it by means of a three-way eoek 29, whieh also eenne'ts by means of a pipe 30 with blower 20. as shown, or any other sourt'e of air pressure supply. Pipe 30 is provided with a presuzre r gulating \'al\'e Ill whieh may he of any desired eonstruet ion.

\Vhile any number of t-rodent and water Sprayers may be used in connection with my device I have shown a eoin'enient arrangement and one well adapted to distribute the cro'dent' and water evenly over the plate, whirh eonsista of three erodent. sprayerr-I .21 arranged horizontally in line with eat-h other and two water sprayers 2t; vertieally in line above and below the rent 'al -aprayer 21.

In the operation of my device a supply of erodentor ell-hing fluid is plaeed in tank 2, aa shown by dotted lines at 1/ Fig. l. a property prepared plate. I) is then fitted in holder 7 and panel 5 closed, the latter being; transparentthe plate may bo'observed durin; the entire etehing process. 'lhree-way eoek 281 having been turned in position to direct the flow of air through pipe it to orodent sprayers 21. clutch lti is shifted into engagement with the moving shaft of motor 18, whereby plate I; will be eaused to rotate. through the medium oi shaft. 15, and at the Fame time through the medium of the pressure. of air from blower 2t) etehing fluid will be projected against the faee of the plate from aprayers .21. As soon as the plate has been sntlir-iently etched three-way eoek 2!) is turned in position to out otl' th air from erodent spray ers ".21 and direet it through pipe 28 to water sprayers .26, thereby eausing a stillicient, quantity of water to be projected against the lane, of the plate, to instantly wheel: the action of what little erodent. may rmnain thereon. \Vhen it is desired to eber-k the rotation of shaft l5. lever'l7 is Slllflttl to throw eluteb 16 out of engagement. with the motor shaft. and into engagement with friction member 1!), thereby bringing all of the moving parts to a standstill. Should three-wayeoelt 29 be turned to elm-o pipe 30, while blower 20 is still in operation, 'alve 31 l l l l lt is ('lltll'ttcltllhtlt' of my deviee that while the plate is eontained in an int'losetl easing, i1 is directly in view and under the c ntrol of the operator during the. entire cit-hing operation, and may he alternately sprayed with an erodent oltttioii iui iregnated with 28, similar in eenatrigetion to sp 'ayers ll, are air under prersure just previous to its prouionnted in proximity thereto within the with water asdesired without being removed jeetion-against' the tare of the plate. and

from the holder or altering the'position of the latter.

It is also eharm-teristie of my device that; the distanee between the plate and sprayers may be varied to suit ditl'erent eonditions of work and the plate rotated in a vertir-al plane in range ol' the pra \'er while all ob jectionable fumes will be earried otl' from the ell-hing chamber through rent 3.

I elaim:

l. .\n etehiny maehiue t'omprising a rasing; erodent Sprayers and watm- Sl)l'2l \'(,l' i in the raising. a plate holder within the rare in;: and in the range of all of said $l)l;l \'tt'$, and means for moving the holder without taiting the supported plate out of the range of any ol said Sprayers.

2. .\n etehiir; maehine rompriring a easing. erodent. sprayers, water Sprayers. and a plate holder rotatable within the ilhlllg and; adapted to support a plate within the range of all'ol' said Sprayers. I

it. ,\n etehing maehinr eoniprising a easin erodent sprayers. water Sprayers, air supply means eonnnon to the erodenb and water sprayer-s. and a plate holder rotatable within the easing; and adapted to support", a plate within the 'ange ofall of said sprayer-s. V

4. An etehing maehine eoniprising a easing. erodenl sprayers and water Sprayers within the easing. and a plate holder rotatable within the easing on a. horizontal axis and adapted to rotate the plate in the range of all ol said sprayera.

5. .\n ell-hing maebine comprising; a rasing erodt-nt. Sprayers, water Sprayers, and a plate holder rotatable within the easing on a horizontal axis and adapted to rot-ate a.

plate. while the latter is disposed vertically in the lange of all of said sp 'ayers.

6. An ell-hing Iuaehine comprising a easing. erodent HIHflyt'J'S, water filllilytlfi, a. movable plate holder adapted to movably support a plate in the range of said sprayeis. air eonipressing means eonneeted to the aprayers. and aetuating means common to the air eompressing means and the plate hold r.

'4. An ttl'lllllg maelline eomprising a rasing'. erodent sprayers and water Sprayers within the easing, a plate holder mounted to morably support, a plate. within the eas- Ill" ing in the range of all of said sprayers and mears for inereasing or diminiehing the distance separating the holder and Sprayers- 8. An etching machine comprising a closed easing provided witlr a vent and adapted to hold an eroi'lent solution, a hori zontally disposed shaft. journaled in the casing and provided with plate holding in ans. within the easing, m ans for rotating the shaft, erodent sprayers within the cas ing. water sprayers within the casing. air

easing. means operated by the shaft forg supplying air under pressure to the liquid spra ver.-.=, means for rotating the shaft and a clutch movable longitudinally upon the latter and adapted when in one position to connect the shaft to the rotating means and in another p sition to diseennect'them and act as. a brake to stop the shaft.

10. In eteh'ns machine eomprising a closed easing 1 rovided with a vent, a hori' zontaily (llSpUfl'Cl shaft journaled in the easing. a plate holder located within the casing. and ad ustably n'iounted upon the shaft. a clutch slidably nmnnted upon the shaft and adapted when in one. position to net as a brake torthe shaft and in another 7 mounted upon a rotatable horizontal liquid sprayer-s and a casing 1!1ClOSU.:; the,

position connect it to a motor, erode-lit and water S])1'ii)-'0l'.\ operating within the easing, means operated by the shaft to supply air under pressure to the Sprayers and. means controlling the llow of air and adapted to direet it to the erodentand water spraying devices alternately.

11. An etc-hing; machine comprising a closed casing adapted to hold erodent solution and provided with a rent. a water tank located outside the casing. a spraying device leading from the tank into the easing. an erodent spraying device located within thecasing. a plate holder within the casing mounted upon a horizontally disposed rotatable shaft. in range of the spraying devices, means for supplying; air under pressure to each of the spraying derives. alternately, and means for rotating the shaft and operating the air supply means.

I). In combination with an etching! machine comprising. a plate holder adjn ably aft,

3 plate holder and spraying means, and pro- C. A. \VILIJAMS, F. l). GArrnnn. 

